Dark Secrets are Better Left Kept
by JiraiyaWhitney
Summary: Sequel to Forget your pain. Dark's finally back, but why won't Link let him back into his college life? And why does Skull keep appearing everywhere? A better summary to be added later. DarkXLink yaoi - M to be added in later chapys, peoples! Smut to be!
1. Chapter 1

**From: ****(not-a-real-url****)**

**Date: **Mon,Jul 30, 2012 at 3:47 PM

**Subject: **Sorry it took so long… :C

**To: ****(not-a-real-url**)

Dear Nii-Chan,

Me and my friend I told you about-you know the one I made two years ago-stayed with mom this week and helped her around the house. She's doing better since the acident, but, well, she still has her moments—I spelt that right, right? I'm not having him check this for me this time—all me!

See? I CAN be like you! Anyways, the doctors let her out last month, too—I think I forgot to tell you… She says hi and that she loves you—she's still blind… I'm starting to get a little worried… d'you think she'll be ok? I hope so…

So, Junior High starts in a few weeks, but I still can't wait for my classes to come in! It's too… I'd say _suspenseful _waiting for so long! Especially since I heard a rumor from Billy who got it from Jessica, who got it from Johnny, who got it from his dad, who got it from his wife, who got it from Mr. Puttock, the principal there, that I'm going to be in the same class as his daughter, Saria! Can you believe it?! I might actually be in the same class as SARIA! Oh lord, I can't wait!!!

Huh? Oh, mom needs my help with something and my friends at the door-he's supposed to have some sort of 'news' for me sometime this week. I dunno—I'll tell you when he tells me. I think he's keeping it a secret for some '_big reason' _or something. He's such a nutcase like that! Did you know that he always wished he had a brother? He says I'm **just **like this guy he liked back at his old city- wait, was it 'brother' or 'boyfriend-like-you'… Humph, I can't remember! Anyway, mom's getting antsy; tell dad I say hi!

Love,

Otouto


	2. Chapter 2

From: (not-a-real-url)

**Date: **Tue,Jul 31, 2012 at 11:02 AM

**Subject: **RE: Sorry it took so long… :C

**To: (not_a_real_url)**

Dear Otouto,

I'm happy to hear that you and your friend are helping mom out around the house—keep that up and your grades and you might just get into NHS or even NJHS! …But, you might want to do some extra studying in English… accident has two 'c's'—not to sound rude or anything; and I never said you weren't like me, remember? **You're **always going on about not being like me*chuckle*.

Mom's out of the hospital?! Thank goodness! I was starting to get worried there myself—but that accident _did _leave her pretty badly injured, so it's just wonderful she came home at all (not that I thought about it that way or anything…)—and you watch yourself while she's healing! I don't want to hear anything about you getting in trouble while you're still there, got it? Oh! Don't worry about her sight either; I'm sure she'll heal up in her own time.

Don't get too worked up over 'maybe' being in the same class as the girl you like! It is a rumor, and you can't always trust rumors, no matter how much you want to, either!

College is starting soon and I have to move into the dorms sometime within the next month, so I won't be able to get any of your e-mails until I get the computer hooked up and everything—here, I know. I'll e-mail you when I can, k? Oh, and I don't need to know what his big news is, anyway, I don't know him, so have fun with that secret of yours! ^,~… and that better be a 'brother' thing rather than 'boyfriend-like-you' cus then he'll have to go through me.

Give mom my love;

Love,

Nii-Chan (why do you insist I call myself that?)


	3. The Conversation

**From: (not a real url)**

**Date: **Wed,Aug 1, 2012 at 8:12 AM

**Subject: **RE: RE: Sorry it took so long… :C

**To: (not a real url)**

Dear Nii-Chan,

This is gonna be short since I don't know when your leaving or if you have your email up or not but-

* * *

The young man blinked seeing the IM-Chat popping up—and by his brother nonetheless!

**Big Bro – **Hey!

**Lil Bro – **Nii-Chan! Ur on!

**Big Bro – **Yeah, jus' checkin my mail before I finish packing. What's up?

**Lil Bro – **Lol. I was just mailin' you!

**Big Bro – **Then I guess it's a good thing that I looked just now, huh?

**Lil Bro – **Yep!

**Big Bro – **So, what is it you want?

**Lil Bro – **My friend's big surprise-

**Big Bro – **I thought I told you: I don't need to know.

**Lil Bro – **I know! But I *want* you to know!

**Big Bro – **Ok, ok! You've pulled my arm enough! Tell.

**Lil Bro – **… you wanted to know, didn't you?

**Big Bro – **… O//,//O

I never said that.

**Lil Bro – **-_-# *sigh* fine. If I must *sarcasm*

**Big Bro – **Lol. Hurry up, I gotta go soon.

**Lil Bro – **My friends going to go to college where you are!

**Big Bro – **Really? That's cool. Maybe we can meet.

**Lil Bro – **Wait! That's not it!

**Big Bro – **Oh? Go on *mom's nagging voice*

**Lil Bro – **ROFL!!!!

**Big Bro – ***smirk*

**Lil Bro – **Ok, ok, let me finish.

**Big Bro – **Abrevu

**Lil Bro – **Abra who?

**Big Bro – **It's French. Nevermind, after you.

**Lil Bro – **ok… *eyebrow raise* Annyway… Well,

**Big Bro – **Ur beating around the bush again

**Lil Bro – **I told him about how dad's gonna come get me so that I can live with him and Mom can be moved to a shelter until she can see again, right?

**Big Bro – **…how should I know?

**Lil Bro – **I did, let me finish!!!!!

Grrr!

**Big Bro – **Sorry! Sorry!

**Lil Bro – **S'ok.

May I?

**Big Bro – **Go ahead.

**Lil Bro – **Kk. Well, I did tell him that and he said that since he was going out to his dorm BEFORE then that he can take me out there himself.

~Sent at 8:16 AM~

**Big Bro – **You done?

~Sent at 8:19 AM~

**Lil Bro – **No shit, Sherlock.

**Big Bro – ***agape* WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE!

**Lil Bro – **Hypocrite

**Big Bro – **I'm older.

**Lil Bro – **Touché

**Big Bro – **So, he's gonna bring ya?

**Lil Bro – **Yep! I talked to dad about it last night, too—he said you were out with your neighbor or something...

**Big Bro – **Yeah, we went out to put some flowers on a headstone for a friend.

**Lil Bro – **?

One of your friends died?

**Big Bro – **No, I'm not sure when we're gonna be able to finish setting up our rooms, so we went a week early.

**Lil Bro – **That doesn't answer my question…

**Big Bro – **Oh, right! Sorry, it's my friends mom- she died right around the time you met your new friend, too…

**Lil Bro – **Cool!

**Big Bro – **That's not cool…

**Lil Bro – **No, that's sad (in a depressing way) what's cool is that I've had you on here for almost twenty minutes…

**Big Bro – **-_-;

Shoulda figured

**Lil Bro – **XP XP

But I want you to meet my friend before I go to dad's!

**Big Bro – **Ok…?

**Lil Bro – **Where can we meet up???

**Big Bro – **When is he coming up?

**Lil Bro – **Um… Hold on, BRB

**Big Bro – **Don't be too long.

The young pre-teen lowered the IM-Chat as he put his hand back on the mouse, idly watching the trail of pointers following it. "Wait! Don't be stupid!" he snapped at himself and shook his head as he went over to the side bar and typed in 'B-Bak-Soon' in the Find-Me box. He chuckled to himself remembering how his new-friend's nickname was his profile name—well, that's not his signature, but that's what he has it assigned as in his E-Mail Addresses. He grinned as he pulled up the IM-Chat.

**Lil Bro – **Hey!

**B-Bak-Soon – **What up?

**Lil Bro – **Hold on a moment…

**B-Bak-Soon – **O…kay…?

The pre-teen smiled as he dragged that conversation over to the one he had with his brother and right-clicked, finding the 'merge Chatrooms' button in the drop-down box.

"Alrighty then…"

**Lil Bro – **Bak!

**Big Bro – **Good, I thought you were about to give up on me!

**B-Bak-Soon – **Ya, I thought u ditched 4 a sec-

**Big Bro **WHAT?! **B-Bak-Soon**

**Lil Bro- **XP

**Big Bro – **How did I not c this comin?

**B-Bak-Soon – **That makes two of us…

So, ur his big bro?

**Big Bro – **No, his lil' one.

**B-Bak-Soon – **Ooh, smarty, huh?

**Lil Bro – **He's not usually like that.

**Big Bro - ***tongue out*

**B-Bak-Soon - **…

~Sent at 8:35~

**Lil Bro – **Ur entertained, aren't you?

**B-Bak-Soon- **SUDDEN CHANGE IN SUBJECT!

**Lil Bro – **Answer the question.

**B-Bak-Soon – **Yeah, yeah, whatev.

The one known as Big Bro grinned to himself, chuckling lightly.

**Big Bro – **So, I heard about your offer

**B-Bak-Soon – **Good, I don't want to have to explain it a third time.

**Big Bro – **huh?

**B-Bak-Soon – **Ur dad—I did ur mom and bro at teh same time

**Big Bro – **'Teh' huh?

**B-Bak-Soon – **Huh? Oh, spelling mistakHI!

**Lil Bro- **… *sweatdrop*

**Big Bro - **…

B-Bak-Soon growled as he spun around in his chair. "What did I say about doing that Annabelle!?" He growled at her.

The seven-year-old girl stuck her tongue out at him. "Auntie Josephine told me to tell you that you have to start getting ready!!" She squealed as he picked her up and dropped her on the shag carpeting outside of his room. "I'm almost done." He snapped at her. "Go tell her I'll be completely done in half an hour, alright?"

"I'm not a carrier pidgin!" She yelled, standing up to the young adult.

"Yeah, I know," He grumbled under his breath. "Just tell her that, 'kay?"

"It's my room too!" she pointed out, trying to get back in—more like struggling against his arm.

"Yeah, yeah, I know—give me half an hour and you can come back in, ok?!"

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO RAISE YOUR VOICE TO ME! IM NOT SOME LITTLE KID!"

"I think I know that." He remarked, rubbing his ear. "But I'm not yelling, Anna. Go downstairs—loud mouth."

She huffed and crossed her arms before leaning in and slamming the door on him, walking back downstairs.

**Big Bro- **… um… Is he…?

**B-Bak-Soon – **Back. Srry bout that.

**Lil Bro – **What was the 'hi' all about?

**B-Bak-Soon- ***rolls eyes* some prank my roommie does all the time.

Listen, I don't got much time, so… what do you need?

**Lil Bro- **Nii-Chan wanted to know more about our plan.

**Big Bro- **I what?!

**B-Bak-Soon – **Lemme guess… when we're goin up?

**Big Bro – **Oh, yeah, that's it.

**B-Bak-Soon- **Well, I have to finish packing today… but I won't actually be leaving for another three days—you know, finish up business here and all.

**Big Bro – **Oh, ok. So, when do you think you'll get here?

**B-Bak-Soon- **I dunno… Three-ish?

**Lil Bro – **In the Morning?!

**Big Bro **-_-… Very funny *sarcasm*** B-Bak-Soon**

**Lil Bro – **You ARE alike!

**Big Bro **O//_//O **B-Bak-Soon**

**Lil Bro- **Told ya!

**Big Bro – **So… around three on… Sat?

**B-Bak-Soon- **Sounds about right.

I gotta go. See you guys later.

**Big Bro** Byes! **Lil Bro**

**B-Bak-Soon- **L8r.

Oh, wait, where shud we meet?

**Big Bro – **hm… Mid town, next to red bench?

**B-Bak-Soon**- I know right where that is

**Big Bro** – you do?

**B-Bak-Soon **– Yeah, I grew up there.

**Big Bro** – Well, see ya later

**Lil Bro** Bye **B-Bak-Soon**


	4. Meeting

~*D-L*~

I smiled as I stood up, just finishing putting my stuff where it belongs. I looked over and grinned at the eager pre-teen. His eyes were a brilliant sapphire that danced as he smiled, even though the tops of them were scattered by his wheat-gold hair that shagged down over his forehead as it was pulled to the side in a forehead comb over (he calls it a flip over?)—apparently that's some sort of a fashion or something—and noticed the light-brown highlights starting halfway down his hair. Ok, he's getting into his mom's hair now. His skin was fair normally, but it was lightly tanned now since we're just getting out of swimsuit season (can't believe I just said that) and it hid under his black shirt with white detailing that make it look like crap- I mean made it look like writing was covering it—and his legs were covered in blue jeans that had holes in the knees from one seam to the next, practically ripping the entire leg in half… well, not practically, more like literally. He smiled at me and hopped up again. "All done?"

"Yep," I replied, rubbing his hair.

"Stop that!"

"So, this Saria girl, huh?" I smirked seeing his face flush deep scarlet. "You ever met her?"

"Yep! She moved out here… um… three years ago!"

"She did, now did she?"

He smirked at me and nodded. "C'mon, already! I want you to meet my brother!" I sighed and looked around a final time. My roommate had already come and gone, putting his stuff in his half the "room." There was a small kitchen and a living area that branched off into two rooms and a small bathroom. That's the only one. When I walked in, I noticed that the other man had a lot of City Persons' things; flip phone cell holder (empty) and quite a few name-brand things, none of which are sold here in the Country. There was also a laptop on the foot of his bed, hooked into the wall. I went into the other room and started setting up there.

"Alright, alright," I sighed, nodding. "Let's go."

"Yippee!" My eyebrow rose at him as I watched him run out of the room. I sighed, shaking my head before I followed him quickly down the steps and out into town. At the end of the walk, he looked both ways and paused before turning left. I snorted and grabbed onto his wrist, pulling him the other way. "The place we're going is _this _way."

He blushed and nodded, following me.

I walked along the sidewalk, several yards behind where he was running ahead, looking for that red bench when I felt something tug me back. I stopped and looked over my shoulder, my eyes widening at who I saw. Her tattoo-ed skin still made her appear to be blue and her dyed-orange hair still hung around her face, cascading down the sides of her body and ended with a curl around her hips. She wore a white lab coat and smiled at me as she pulled me into her arms.

"Midna! I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's nice to see you again."

She giggled in my ear and pulled away, holding me at arm's length as she gave me the good ol' double look. My skin was still pretty pale, like before, but it had a tan tint to it, which was a start. I had on a pair of work jeans that had holes worn into them, threads still covering most of the space and a black wife beater under another white, unbuttoned button up shirt. She smiled at me and hugged me again.

"C'mon!" He whined, coming back over to us. "I don't know my way around here! Hurry up!"

Midna gave me an odd glance as I laughed lightly. "Midna, this is my friend I met in the City, Teion. Teion, this is one of the people I grew up with, Midna."

He gave her a look as he examined her before saying, "Yeah, yeah, hi. Whatever, hurry up!" Midna laughed, sending me a sly glance before motioning towards the sidewalk, still winding around the hill we were next to. "The bench is just around there." He smiled and ran off. Midna turned to me and kissed my cheek. As I was rubbing it off, she smirked and said, "I have to get to work. I'm a nurse now, you know. I'll track you down later."

"See ya," I smirked at her. "I better go find Teion before he almost gets himself killed… again."

She laughed and walked away as I started up the side of the hill. At the top, I froze at the sight, my breath hitching in my throat. A man stood with Teion in his arms, smirking at him. His hair was wheat-gold in the sunlight and he was wearing a pair of jeans and a green shirt with, of course, a brown belt and a golden buckle in the front that I couldn't see—didn't have to see. Next to him was a brown-skinned woman with yellow, gold and red makeup, gold jewelry and a red chesty shirt all atop of poufy white pants that were tightened around her waist and each of her ankles. "Now, where's that friend of yours?" The man asked.

Teion dropped from his arms and looked at the sidewalk, crossing his arms in thought. "Dunno… he was with this Midna-girl, but she left…." I started down the hill again, forcing myself to calm down as I swallowed air.

"Well, while we wait for him to come, how d'you like the Countryside so far?" He asked his little brother.

He looked up at his brother and smiled, saying, "It's peaceful."

"I noticed that, too." He chuckled. "What about your friend?"

He shrugged. "He keeps saying that he grew up here."

"Really?" Teion nodded. "Then how did he like the City?"

"It was easy to get lost in a crowd," I answered, standing behind them. Naa froze and looked at me, her eyes instantly tearing up. The man, who had all of my attention, just tensed up and I knew his eyes had widened. I turned to Naa as she wrapped her arms around me, tears soaking my shirt as she sobbed of joy. I smiled to myself, holding her there until she pushed me off, wiping her eyes. "Look what you did! You made my mascara run!" She said, her voice catching a few times from hidden sobs. I chuckled and apologized, half-heartedly.

"It's really you…?" Link's voice asked as I turned back to him.

"I thought the same seeing you." I told him, honestly, and watched as he, slowly, turned to face me. He hadn't grown too much, maybe a little taller, and his eyes had taken on a harder look to them, but the moment he realized it really was me, they melted and shimmered. I didn't have time to say anything more before he was on me, his eyes forced into my shoulder. I smiled and hugged back, tightening my grip around him. "I was starting to think you'd never come back," He mumbled into my shoulder.

"I always keep my promises," I admitted into his ear as my eyes shut and I just stood there, hugging him.

Naa giggled at us and smiled wide, pulling the two of us closer to her. I just smiled, wider until I heard Teion chuckle and look between us. I gestured him over with my hand and quickly his arms wrapped around both Link and my waists.

It was only after we got him to his father and Naa had to go home that Link and I really got any alone time. And if that meant we had to survive through a flood just to have it, I'd ask Princess Ruto to pray for some flood water, hands down.

"So…" Link muttered, quietly as we walked down the street. I glanced at him, waiting. "You were… gone a while, huh?"

I nodded, forcing my hands into my pockets as we continued through the small park that had been our meeting point years ago. "Yeah. Seems longer than it really was, huh…?" I agreed, just as loudly. He nodded, still searching for something to say.

We walked around, silently, until he couldn't take it anymore and let out a breath, saying, "Ganondorf was convicted of your mother's murder shortly after you left. Your mom's buried in the Cemetery on Fifth street…" and he went on to tell me that Midna was a nurse, the Quarterback of the school actually ended up being arrested for possession with intent to sell and telling me which college everyone was heading towards. All in one breath. I was sad to hear most of my enemies ended up attending my college, too.

"Anything else?" I laughed, light-heartedly. He glanced at me sidelong and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing; it seems that your life has been so much more interesting than mine. I'm jealous."

"You're jealous?" He looked at me and noticed the small smile and laughed, "You're pulling my leg," he accused.

"Well, only half-pulling. Tugging, that's it; I'm tugging your leg," we laughed together and I smiled wider, happy to be home again. I stopped in my steps at the thought; my prison, the place I loathed for years, the place I had tried to run away from time and time again, and I was _happy _to be back? I was _happy_? Ironic, yes, but very, very true.

"Is something wrong?"

"I'm happy," I said, still not believing it myself.

"So?"

"It's just… I'm happy to be here," I replied, trying to process it. For a minute, I was silent, before I finally explained it to him.

He stood there and laughed at me after I'd finished and I couldn't help laughing, too. His laugh was contagious. After so long, I _still_ couldn't resist it.


	5. The Text

A/n - Ahh... so late. I apologize for my lateness. I really do. I've just been so busy that I haven't gotten the chance to, you know, update. Please don't kill me! Loves and kisses - JWhitney.

* * *

~*D-L*~

It's amazing how when you have so much to say to someone and the moment you see them, it all fades away to nothingness—none of it matters anymore. I had a million things to say—most of them starting with apologies for taking so long—and I can't remember them anymore. I was back, and Link was next to me, laughing happily with a glimmer in his eyes that gave him back that youthful look I had missed for the last three years.

When I learned we were going to the same college I was ecstatic, a huge smile on my face as we discussed the required courses we had to take (I thought we left those back at High School, too) for our chosen professions. I was only half-shocked to learn that he was taking a literature class, he had loved reading and writing so much the last time I saw him. When he learned _I _was taking a few Speech Classes and Science courses, his eyebrow shot high. "I'm aiming for a Tenth-Grade Bio Teacher." His jaw dropped and I smiled sweetly at him.

When we learned that we were sharing a Dorm, we were both relieved, though I have to say, "I was kind of hoping for that awkward five minutes of silence before either of us decided to clear our throats and introduce ourselves." He looked at me, puzzled as I chuckled gently and smiled. "Ok, fine, I seem to remember us staring at each other for all of five minutes after I finally apologized before I finally got back to my bus."

His mouth fell open. "You remember that?!"

"Hard not to; I beat myself up all day after what happened in first period, I'd be shocked at myself if I didn't remember _that_." I let him stare at my back, puzzled, as I walked into my room for a moment… I was suddenly glad that we got one of the dorms that was like a small apartment and not one room (aren't those usually reserved for DA or some acronym like that?).

The door opened at last and I looked up to see him standing against the doorway, a deep-in-thought look on his face. "You beat yourself up over _that_?" He asked, flabbergasted. "It was such a stupid thing!"

"I know," I remarked, finishing plugging my cell into the charger. "But I still feel bad for doing it."

"_Why_? You didn't even _know_ me back then!" I shrugged, walking up to him as I thought about it myself. Finally, I decided, "it probably has something to do with…" and I leaned forward, pressing my lips to his forehead, quickly. I was back down in a matter of seconds and he was blushing, hard, as he stared at me, embarrassed. He smiled, gently and mumbled a small "oh" and bit his lip, looking away. I kissed his forehead again and he blushed just as hard.

I reasoned that I like that smile, and decided that I would do whatever I could to keep it on his delicate face.

Or, at least, that's what I had thought I'd do first. Turns out, I needed him to open up to me and let me talk to him first.

* * *

The next morning, we were both preparing for classes when his phone went off and his entire body tensed up. I looked over at him, curiously as he looked at it a bit before taking in a shaking breath and reaching over to it, picking it up. My eyebrow arched for all of five seconds before I slipped my Netbook into my bag and watched through my doorway as he walked out of the door, face paler than I had ever seen mine.

I blinked a few times and arched a brow again, confused before I finally let out a sigh and shook my head. Knowing him, he'd tell me when he was ready, right?

Wrong.

((PauseBreak)))

Wow… short. Yep. Shorty-mc-short short this one is. Not even a whole page. That's REALLY short seeing as how most my chapters are four or five pages, plus a paragraph on the next. Well, catch you on the next chapter!


	6. Suspicions Rise and a Old Friend Returns

I'm so sorry this is late! I haven't been able to edit this for a while and my beta is me (I know, sad) so I've been putting it off; bad me! Anyway, why I'm up at 22:40 is beyond me, but I am so oh well. Again, I'm sorry that this is late, but I'll let you continue reading before I start ranting. ^.^ Enjoy~

* * *

Weeks passed and Link just drew more and more secluded until he couldn't even look in my general direction. It hurt—took me years to come back for _him _and _Naa _and _him _and now the main reason I came back was acting as if I didn't even exist! I continued to chew my cheek as I watched him type on his laptop at the table in the main place of our dorm. He was writing something—what? I don't have the slightest idea; something to do with fantasies directly influencing videogames that involve violence-by-sword or something like that. I only got a glimpse at it before he came back from the bathroom.

"Did Naa change her cell number?" I asked. No response—not that I had expected one. I picked up a soft pillow from the couch and chucked it at the back of his head, watching him jump and pick up the pillow, tossing it back.

"Huh? Oh, uh, no," his voice sounded distracted as he continued to type one-handedly with his eyes trained on the screen.

"No to what? Chinese food or Naa's new phone?" I had a feeling he wasn't listening.

"Both."

Kid's good.

I pulled out my phone, pouting slightly as I pulled up an IM chat with her, just in case.

_**ImBak**__** says: **_Yo. Gotta talk.

_**DesertBeauty**__** says: **_Thought you'd never ask.

_**ImBak**__** says: **_… am I interrupting something?

_**DesertBeauty**__** says: **_O//_//O Um right… IMing girlfriend.

_**ImBak**__** says:**_ Naa… next time just say yes…

So… who's the lucky girl this time?

_**DesertBeauty**__** says: **_/Anyway/ what do you want?

_**ImBak**__** says: **_Oh. U hurt me with ur words, Naa. Y u no answer?

_**DesertBeauty**__** says:**_ You won't tell me who you're dating, why should I tell you?

_**ImBak**__** says: **_I tell u I am single because I am single. Anyway, we need to talk. Now.

There was a knock on the door and I jumped up, looking at it, startled. I stood up, quickly, slipping the Blackberry I had saved up for in my pocket and opening it, smiling to see Naa there, though she saw the clear puzzlement in my eyes. "How did you-?"

She smiled at me and looked over my shoulder at Link, silently. "I was already on my way to Midna's Dorm"—my eyes narrowed; she didn't go to college anymore, having finished Nursing school in only a couple years—"and vuala." She shrugged a bit as I nodded and she motioned me out. I looked over my shoulder at Link, who hadn't even shown any sign that he had heard the door. I grabbed my jacket and shrugged it on, closing the door behind me.

"What do you want to talk about?"

I opened my mouth to start out "all of the sudden" and shut it; three years wasn't _all of the sudden _material; a month changes that. "It's just that… I know that I wasn't here for three years and all and I know I didn't know him too long to begin with, but it was easy to get to know Link. I mean easy for me, and I've been _getting to know people _since _before _I met you when we were five."

"You're blabbering," she pointed out as we stopped outside the dorm building. "What are you trying to say?

I stopped and looked her in the eye. "Why is Link so withdrawn?"

* * *

Link walked out of his room and into the bathroom, murmuring to himself. I frowned and shook my head, watching his path with my eyes. I noticed that he would sulk into himself whenever he was around me, but if I looked at him and he didn't realize it, he'd hold himself like he knew he was being watched. He'd tense up every time his phone or IM went off.

I know I'm not made for forensics or anything of that sort, but I've always been good at reading people. Take Skull for a start, from one glance—before I met him—he had a name that wasn't usually found anywhere in society, or at least went by one (Skull—I never did learn his real name) I knew that he could fight and was a Sexual Sadist (the normal profile for Rapists, level one… ok yes I watch too many forensic shows, so what?) or would progress to be one in his late teens. I knew he liked to win and do what it took to do so, but was also willing to submit to someone as long as he got something out of it, which was why I had to offer him "protection" for him to be under my gang-leadership.

Naa: she liked girls since she was little, that much was obvious—and I mean _really _little, as in, four-year-old little; I'm serious. She _liked_ kid's way back then. She was brought up in either a Pro-Feminist Neighborhood, Society or Household, which is why she wears the chesty and poofy pants that somehow manage to bring out her body—I never got that, even to today. And she's a girl who's not afraid to speak her mind and beat it into you to make sure you get something… _that_ I got from first-hand experience.

Link? I think I might have had him wrong all along.

I frowned, listening to the toilet flush and the water from the sink come on before the door opened and the light shut off. He balled the sleeves of his long-sleeve shirt in his hands as he walked by and I narrowed my eyes, watching him walk back into his room. I caught the small grin he passed me as he turned around to shut the door and gave him one back.

I waited for him to close the door before opening the pack by my shoulder on the ground and pulling out a pen and notebook. It was kind of funny, looking through all the different handwritings—don't get me wrong, it's _my _notebook, but I've had it since I was _**five**_.

_Nabarro _(spelt her name wrong then, too)

_Zelda_

_Midna _

_Skull Kid_

_Aaron _(quarterback that was arrested with possession)

_Spencer _(chess geek I used to play all the time)

_Derek _(gang member)

_Penny _(chick in my gang who was really good at hacking)

Twelve pages of people's names I couldn't remember from my past.

_Midna _(wait, she's in here twice? Oops)

_Homeroom Teach _(First period teacher when Link and I met)

_Link_

There were two pages dedicated to him and the list started again.

_Teion Kesshi __**(1)**_

_Shan Kesshi __**(2)**_

_Annabelle_

_Josephine_

And the notebook ended there. I flipped back to where I had done Link's two pages and found myself happy I had accidently given him two and flipped to the second, heading it _After Effect _(I'm not sure why I called my mom's murder the _Effect _but it just kind of happened) and going to the first line, writing:

_He's different. Obviously. I'm using this page to tell me why, though_.

Second line:

_Withdrawn._

Third:

_Anti-social_

Fourth:

_Abnormal obsession with keeping wrists hidden—nervous tick to fiddle with sleeves? _

Fifth:

_Dreads phone and internet interaction—note to self, if I need to contact him, call, don't text._

Sixth:

_Keeps love-life personal—may or may not be because I told him I wanted him to be my boyfriend, left for three years and came back only to have him have a B.F. (Naa is witness to prep)_

Seventh:

_Keeps self locked in room._

I stopped my pen and went through the list, bulleting them all, just in case I ran out of lines. I paused and checked my watch before putting the notebook and the pen back in the bag, going to my room to get ready for bed.

* * *

I woke up to Link's muffled screams and jumped up, disentangling my legs from the blanket before running to his room, where I found him screaming into his pillow and thrashing. I pressed my hands to his back and shook him awake, roughly. He jumped and his breath came in rugged gasps as his shoulders shook. I sat on the side of his bed and he cringed visibly for a moment before glancing up at me sideways and letting out a rough sob. I decided to start talking. "Link, Link, it's me, Dark! Do you remember me or are you still asleep?" wouldn't be the first time something like that happened.

He took in a few deep breaths and nodded, pulling his legs to his chest and sitting up, taking in a few deep breaths as he tried to calm down. Then he looked at me and lost it, wrapping his arms around me and bawling into my chest. I held him there, tucking his head under my chin and rubbing his back gently. He finally looked up, long after he stopped cringing from my gentle back massaging and finally sniffled to a stop. "Thanks," he mumbled "just don't tell anyone about this."

"Never," I mumbled and hugged him tighter as he wrapped his arms around me even tighter than that. "Do I want to know what scared you so much that you were screaming and crying?" He tensed and shook his head, burrowing it deeper into my chest, as far as he could until I knew he couldn't breathe. "Ok, Ok," I replied "I don't need to be told. I won't ask again. I won't ask again, Link. Shh…" I felt like a mother calming a crying child….

Slowly, he started falling asleep and I moved to let him rest on his own when he caught me around the waist and yanked me down with him. I gasped and stared down at him shocked until he threw his blanket around me—when I stared at him confused. He pushed me onto my back and rested his head on my chest. "Stay. Please?"

My heart fluttered and skipped a beat before I finally let out a breath and wrapped my arm around him and pulled him closer, shutting my eyes. He smiled against my skin and shut his eyes, his soft eyelashes brushing against my skin delicately. I paused and put my one arm on the side of his head, holding him there until he fell asleep. I followed before I could move at all.

* * *

I woke up to Link's alarm clock going off in my ear and groaned, knowing that mine was going off in my room, too. Ugh, I have work! Link mumbled incoherently and reached over my face, giving me a quick sniff of what smelled like… is that… Neosporin? My nose curled—I never did like that smell, even when I was in my cutting stage from Gannondorf's punches.

He groaned and leaned up, brushing his lips against my jaw as he tried to go back to sleep. I paused and opened my eyes, smiling at the serene look on his face as I forced myself not to kiss him. I took his arm in mine and gently shook him awake. He opened his eyes and looked up at me, a beautifully innocent look on his face before he realized it was morning. "And if I don't want to move?" He mumbled, sleepily.

"I'll turn the bathtub on cold, pick you up and dump you in it, clothes and all." And I was being serious.

"Fine, fine," he grumbled, rolling onto his back and my arm. "I'm up, I'm up."

"You're lying right next to me, Link, you're not up."

"Why are you pushing me?" He groaned again, only this time it was a little easier to understand.

"Because if I don't you'll miss your first literature class. I know you don't like the Prof but that doesn't mean you get to skip 'cus' you feel like it. Don't make me do the tub thing because I will."

He sighed and nodded, rolling off the bed by going over me and stepping onto the cold tile. He shivered slightly and smiled at me before pulling some clothes from his closet and going into the bathroom. The shower started and I closed the door.

I've got ten minutes to search the place.

I found nothing but a half-eaten, sealed bag of jerky next to an open notebook on his desk and an old, rusted and blood-stained razor that smelled profoundly of cocaine. I pouted and slipped it into my pocket, eyeing the bathroom door as I slipped back into my room and got ready for my job at the Student Union.

* * *

The car drove up to me late that night, just after my 8-10 PM seminar. The black blanket that was his car screeched to a stop without even so much as bothering a pebble it drove next to. I looked back and forth, uncertain as the window rolled down and he said "D-L, I haven't seen you for, what now? Ten years? And suddenly you call me up asking for a favor? That's not like you, man. What's on your mind?"

"I was thinking a bit of forensics" I remarked, rolling my eyes. From what I could see, he had tanned skin and gold-yellow eyes with red makeup under them. Dark blue hair came down in points just in front of his ears and pulled into a long, high ponytail. There was also a green bandana on everything from the bridge of his nose, down. "The fuck happened to you, Byrne?"

I didn't have to see it to know that he smirked with that half-laugh that escaped his nose. "C'mon, man, you were how old the last time I saw you? Ten or eleven?"

"Eight, for the record, and the leader of the Outback Raiders, thank you." I replied, curtly. "Listen, something's going on with my roomie. I think he… I think me may be cutting."

"So? It's not like you haven't dealt with that crap 'fore, D. C'mon, man, I'm serious, this thing's burning gas."

"Wow, shocker," I rolled my eyes, listening to the words linger in the air around me. "That thing's a V8, right? I mean, seriously, the things a guzzler. The station must love you." I rolled my eyes. "We're getting off track, Byrne. I'm serious; this guy doesn't fit the profile. I haven't found a trigger yet, but I'm not even sure if he _is _cutting."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"I know you have connections and I don't want to have to ask you this because I just got back in town and all but this is serious. I know _all _about cutters. It's hard not to when you were one. We don't start it randomly. There is _something _that triggers it. I know I started because of Gannondorf. I know that Will from down the block started it because his mother had already caught him injecting, snorting, smoking and eating it straight." I froze. Shit, the razor smelling like _coke _man, is he…? I looked up at the building and shook my head; I'd notice _those _signs without blinking. "I'm working on his trigger, but I want to be certain that he is cutting before I go digging into his past." There was a pause and I fished out the knife out of my jacket pocket, holding it out for him. "Just do it quick and quiet man. I don't need anyone to know about this. I'll pay you when you get me the results."

"If anyone finds out," he warned, taking it. "My boss will have my head."

I laughed gently, shaking my head. "If your boss finds out, I'll be the one keying your car for getting caught. You're sneakier than that—you and Vaati were my teachers, after all."

Byrne smirked under his bandana and nodded, rolling up the window and driving away. I looked around a bit before going inside, where I was met with the sight of Link sleeping on the couch. I took the time to cover him with a small blanket before I sat down and pulled out my note book.

Line Eight:

_Neosporin_

Nine:

_Nightmares_

Ten:

_Bloodied razor_

I then drew a small between Eight and Ten, bringing it together to write _Cutter? _at the point.

I glanced at Link as he lifted his head, groggily, and looked at me. "Sleep well, Sleeping Beauty?" I smirked at him, leaning back on my hand as I looked at him.

He moaned in the back of his throat before rolling onto his shoulders and I bounced the tip and the back of the pen on my leg as he continued, "there's a famous problem in logic and cognition. Sleeping Beauty takes a sleeping potion on Sunday. That night, her friend flips a fair coin. There are only two options. If it comes up heads, Sleeping Beauty will be woken up for good on Monday. If it comes up tails, she'll be woken on Monday but given an amnesia pill and put back to sleep until Tuesday, when she'll be woken again," my eyebrow rose and I listened to him, intently. "Each time she's woken, her friend will ask her what she thinks the probability is that the coin came up heads."

"So?" I shrugged. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"What's today? Thursday?" I laughed gently as he slowly moved so that the arm of the chair was against the small of his back. I smiled at him, moving so that I was sitting the same way, resting the notebook and the pen in my lap as I wrote down _cringes at back._

"What do you think?" I asked. He shrugged and murmured a bit.

"I think its Thursday."

"And what may possibly make you think that, Mon Amie?"

"I'm too tired to think of anything else and I don't need the Latin course."

"I don't know Latin—it's French; I took it in High School while you were in Spanish courses and, by the way, it's Friday."

"Damn." I laughed gently and shook my head. "What?"

"I never thought I'd live to hear the day when you cursed openly, Link." I paused. "I gotta say, I think I like it better when you don't. It makes you seem innocent."

"Which I'm anything but."

Twelve:

_Denial of innocence_

"You don't have to be innocent to look it."

His breathing hitched as he smirked. "Yeah, well, maybe the some of the ones that aren't innocent don't want to look it."

Twelve (cont):

_——pushes subject away from self._

"Maybe some people have an air to them." I paused. "But you know there aren't any amnesia pills."

"What's this getting at?"

"Technically, there aren't any amnesia pills. Sure there are pills that have side effects that may lead to amnesia through trauma such as allergic reactions to this or that that could be bad enough for someone to go into shock and have something close to or even attributed to epilepsy attacks—deadly, yes, but can contribute towards amnesia." I was curious to know if he realized that I had left Rohypnol off the list (Byrne would be proud of me if he knew I called it that and not 'date rape').

There was a long pause and he replied. "You should do law enforcement, not Bio teacher. Besides, you don't like kids."

There was a pause and I smiled brightly. "I've been told that since I was four years old, man. I haven't heard that in years. Who told you?"

"You just demonstrated it to me."

"Don't use big words," I groaned, leaning against the side of the couch and closing my eyes. "It's too late to use them."

"Epilepsy? Trauma? Allergic reactions?"

"The last one's not as _big _as the others," I replied, rolling my eyes and resting my legs on the side of his hips, closing the notebook and slipping it inside my pack. He laughed and did the same with his legs, stretching his out. I lay down normally and rested my forearm on my forehead.

"Something wrong?"

"My head won't stop pounding," I mumbled. "I'm just glad that I don't have to work tomorrow and I opted out of weekend classes."

His phone vibrated and I put my left leg on his hips before he could reach over to it. "Fuck the phone, Link. We were talking. If it's an emergency or important, they'll call back." I sounded like a bastard and said "screw it" to the part of my mind that screamed at me not to be—that same part that changed when I hurt Link all those years back.

"Ok" his voice was resigned and, underneath it, I could hear the edgings of fear and an overblown sense of happiness. I moved my leg and watched him tense slightly. I shrugged it off—my eyes were tired and my head hurt from all this crap. He leaned forward and sat up again. For a while he sat there, looking at my pained face before he finally asked "why does your head hurt?"

I paused. I knew the answer: Byrne. I always get headaches when I have to talk to him… we may not have seen each other for ten years, but we kept in contact. I've been a contact for the Crime Lab since I was eight—back then it was for gang bangers, then I showed off a bit and vuala, it happens: I'm suddenly a contact. Him working as the head of the Homeland Securities department way out here probably doesn't help.

I hate Byrne beyond the human concept of how much hatred can grow. Can't tell you why, though; something about us doesn't click… we're like one person, too close of Alpha Dogs to work. But he doesn't need to know about Byrne and I seeing each other for the… razor in his room (great ice breaker: hey, dude, I snooped around in your room and found an old bloodied and rusty razor and from the way you're acting, I think you're a cutter—great way to get a date) so I finally decided on "because my Prof speaks much too loud and I even sit in the back of the room. I feel bad for the goodies who take the front." He laughed gently and nodded, standing up. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he walked into the small kitchen-area we had set up, messing with something until he came back with an icepack and rested it on top of my forehead. "I'm going to go to bed. Good night Dark."

"Night, Link." I replied and watched him leave.

Ten minutes after the door shut and the light turned off, I realized he left his cell on the table and reached over, picking it up. I was ready to flip it open and read it when I stalled, looking up at his door. He may have problems, but it's just… his boyfriend (probably). Maybe they're having problems and he thinks that he may break up with him. That's it. They're close to a break up.

I stood up and walked to his door, opening it and putting it down on his nightstand. When he opened his eyes, I smiled at him and left.

I just wasn't ready to find out why he dreaded his phone—and why the ID for that number wasn't programmed with a number or with a name.

In all actuality, I should have taken my chance right then. At least then, the rift wouldn't have formed at all.

* * *

Wow, long. Seriously, long. 7 pages. That makes up for the 1 page crap I pulled last time. Anyway, I 3 anyone who stayed this long! Here's a cookie!

_**(1)**_ Kesshi is Japanese for "Hero" and seeing as how Teion and Shan are close relatives to Link, I thought it fit. Link Hero, nice. :)

_**(2)**_ Shan is Japanese for "Beautiful" :)


	7. My text bill just skyrocketed I think

**I'm sorry! I know its the middle of July and everything and I totally apologize but I have been EPIC busy! I'm going to try updating more often and hopefully I'll be able to do it, but I make no promises. I've also been working on my novel and that's got me swamped so, wish me luck! :) *shy smiles.***

**Ok, you may now proceed with throwing anything you wish at me. Well... almost anything.**

* * *

"Do you trust me?" I looked up at Link, startled by his words to see that he was still seated at the table, but he turned around in his chair. I was seated on the couch again, with my Netbook in my lap as I worked on an essay about chemical reactions and why certain molecules react with one another (or something like that, I'm working on autopilot here).

"Yeah, why?" I asked, looking up at him, honestly.

"You just… seem like you don't for some reason. I don't know—snooping around my room and talking with weird people all the time."

"For the record, Link, anyone with me is seen as weird by whoever it is that looks. They look weird because I'm weird and proud of it. As for snooping, I did no such thing." I can't believe I'm lying to him.

There was a pause and he shrugged. "Ok. Sorry for accusing you." What was more was that I couldn't believe it worked.

I watched as he turned around and a pop up window appeared on my screen. My IM was… IM-ed go figure. But it wasn't by anyone I knew.

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says: **_Dark?

_**ImBak**__** says: **_Yes. Who is this?

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says:**_ Annabelle, silly! Auntie Joey finally let me get an IM.

_**ImBak**__** says:**_ Oh, that's great, Anna! I didn't realize it was you!

I paused and added her to my IM-list.

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says:**_ I know, but she says that I can only IM people I know.

_**ImBak**__** says: **_She's a smart woman, you should listen to you.

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says:**_ You never did.

_**ImBak**__** says: **_I'm older than you. And much, much smarter.

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says: **_So…? I don't see the point. You never listened to her, so why should I?

_**ImBak**__** says: **_Because I listened to her just not in the same way that you believe it to be. Why do you think she never yelled at me?

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says:**_ 'Cus' you're older.

_**ImBak**__** says: **_I believe we've just gone in a full circle.

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says: **_Darn it! I lost :(

_**ImBak**__** says: **_lost what, exactly?

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says: **_. . . You would have had to been there.

_**ImBak**_ _**says: **_O… K... do I want to have been?

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says:**_ No, not really. I've got to go; Abigail and I are going shoe shopping.

_**ImBak**__** says: **_TMI, Anna. T-M-I seriously. Have fun looking for… shoes.

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says: **_I will. Have fun at school.

_**ImBak**__** says: **_I don't think that's possible, Anna. Hey, can you remind me something?

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says: **_If it's quick.

_**ImBak**__** says: **_When I first got there, you noticed my cutting again, right?

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says:**_how can I forget? You bleed a lot, by the way.

_**ImBak**__** says**_: It was deep! :(  
Anyway, what did you do to make me stop again?

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** says: **_Threw away your razor and started going through anything that you bought to make sure you didn't buy another one.

_**ImBak**__** says: **_Anyway, you've got to go. I'll talk to you later. Don't stay out to late or she'll have your hide /and/ your head.

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**_ _**says: **_Oh, you're no fun. Love you lots.

_**ImBak**__** says:**_Right back at you. Don't forget it.

_**SweetGirlGoneBad**__** has logged out.**_

"Dark!" I jumped and looked up at him and arched my eyebrow.

"Uh, sorry, I was chatting with my old roomie. What were you saying?"

"I was asking why you seem like you're analyzing me all the time."

"I do? Sorry, I guess I didn't realize it. I do that a lot without ever realizing it."

"Really? Why?"

"I guess it happens after a while. I've got friends all over the place and around them you have to keep on your toes. Some of them watch, other's stalk, I analyze." I shrugged and saved the document before closing the small comp.

"They don't seem like the kind of people you want to be friends with."

"Most of them you don't."

He laughed gently and nodded as I set down the Netbook on the table and stood up, slinging my pack over my shoulder as I smiled at him and went into my room. I locked the door behind me and pulled out my cell phone. It vibrated before I could do anything and I frowned, texting back without ever looking at the original text. _I hate it when you do that._

Vaati: _You say it, but do you really mean it?_

Me: _I'll give you six guesses; first five don't count._

Vaati: _you hurt me with your words._

Wow, I really am like him….

Me: _How'd you know?_

Vaati: _I'm just that good_

Me: _I don't believe you~_

Vaati: _Tsk tsk. _

Me: _Vaati!_

This is so jacking my texting bill _way_ up.

Vaati: _Ok, ok. I didn't realize it this time._

Me: _coincidence?_

Vaati: _coincidence. _

Me: _I don't believe you._

Vaati: _You never do. What do you need?_

Me: _… a favor._

Vaati: _Isn't it always?_

Me: _Shut up._

Vaati: _If I do, how can I do your favor?_

Me: _-_-## Vaati._

Vaati: _Alright, alright, what do you need?_

Me: _Two things.  
__One: Silence  
__Two: a check in on someone_

Vaati: _Who?_

Me: _Byrne. _

Vaati: _The Homeland Securities Byrne?_

Me: _Very same._

Vaati: _I'll see what I can do._

Me: _Thanks._

The conversation ended there.

* * *

Ha ha, lots of IM and texting this time. :) See u next time.

Wait, the fuck is wrong with me? I just gave y'all a seven-page-long thing and reciprocate with a three-page long thing that DOESN'T DESERVE THREE PAGES! WTH?


	8. How could this be?

~***D-L***~

I watched as Link read through one of his textbooks out of the corner of my eye as I flipped through my own, highlighting some parts. My phone went off and I silenced it, feeling as it vibrated beside me. I read another column, highlighting a piece, absentmindedly silencing the phone as it went off again.

Finally, it rang a third time and I picked up a piece of paper I had ripped off to make a paper square forever ago when I was making a paper tulip (yes, I was that bored) throwing it into the book and shutting it as I snatched up the phone and walked into my room, slipping it open, answering it as I leaned against the window.

"What?"

"_Am I interrupting something?"_

I glared at the door halfheartedly and opened the third-story window, leaning my head out of it as I listened to the gruff voice. "Since when have you cared, Byrne? What do you need, I'm in the middle of studying."

"_In my day, we only studied when mid terms were coming up! Oh, how you children have grown," _he fawned, falsely, and on any other day, I would have played along, but I really wasn't in the mood.

"You're only eight or nine years older than I, idiot, there is not an _in my day. _What do you want?"

_"Well, we need some help at the lab-!"_

"No."

_"But-!"_

"No."

_"It'll give me a chance to get you back those results."_

There was a pause and I finally growled, answering, "I _fucking _hate you man." There was a pause as I grabbed my dorm keys off the computer desk, slipping it into my pocket as I walked out of the room. "What do you need?"

"_Handwriting partials" _

"Oh, you have to be fucking kidding me," I mumbled, hoping as to not distract Link as I grabbed my jacket and shrugged it on, stepping into my shoes and leaving them untied for now as until I finally sighed and replied, "I'll be there in five… as long as the building hasn't moved in twenty years." I shut the phone before he could say anything else, dropping it into my jacket pocket.

"Where are you going?" I looked over my shoulder at Link and smiled.

"I'll be back soon; no worries. An old friend just needs some help with something." He nodded and smiled as I added, sadly but hiding it from my voice, "Don't wait up." He nodded and I opened and shut the door.

* * *

For a week, I was busy deciphering different letters from some Serial Killer in the Suburbs (the small town between here, the City and Kakariko) who was trying to get publicity from their newspapers—and getting none of it. Byrne had only been there that first night to make sure I actually came in, but I see his car parked outside often, so I know he's here, somewhere.

I heard the door open in front of me, the metal cold against my hand as I continued to reread over the newest letter. It didn't make sense—the handwriting was original, the depictions of the crimes the same, the demands; everything (and this was one of the things that wasn't released to the public)—how could I have missed this earlier?

I looked up, only when the door was open enough so that I could slip in just beyond the frame, only to see Byrne and the top Forensic Scientist, glaring at each other, clearly both of them in a heated argument. When I cleared my throat, they both looked over at me and I nodded a bit. "When you get the time, we need to talk."

The door shut behind me silently and I walked out of the hallway, heading back to the area they had me working at—it just so happened that the time line of the murders, a few crime scene photos and antemortem pictures of the women that were smiling into the camera were in there, too. But before I could get there, I heard my nickname being called and looked over to where Link and Naa were waiting, the latter waving excitedly.

I shrugged inwardly and walked over silently dodging under a man's arm as he waved a clipboard around in the air, talking to someone else—I didn't care to find out who it was. When I got near them, Naa charged forward, wrapping her arms around me and pulling her legs off the ground. I set her down after a minute of hugging and felt her press her lips to my cheek. I frowned and wiped at it, sending her a half-hearted glare as Link smirked gently and walked over. "Midna said that she saw you walking into the Police Station and we got worried."

"Yeah, well, she failed to mention that I was walking in willingly… in a not in handcuffs sort of way," I added with a lopsided grin.

Naa added for me "for once." I glared at her half-heartedly and finally broke, chuckling and nodding, rolling my eyes. Link sent me a confused, cautious glance and I shook my head at him. "It's a long story, Link. I'll tell you back in the dorm, ok?"

"D-L!" My eye twitched at the nickname and I looked over my shoulder to watch as Byrne walked up to us. He sure knows how to get me pissed off. "I was just looking for you!"

The fuck is with him? "The fuck do you want, Byrne?" I growled. He pulled out a white letter and handed it to me, a smirk glinting in his as I realized what he was doing. The bastard! I glowered and took it, cautiously. "What's this?"

"The test you asked me to pull, of course"—figured that out, jack ass—"I think you'll like the results, by the way."

I screwed my face up, making it look confused expertly. "I haven't asked you to do _any _tests, Byrne, what are you talking about?"

"Just last night!" He reasoned, shrugging. "You asked me, remember."

"Last night I was studying in the library, idiot." I rolled my eyes and stopped for all of five seconds. "Vaati's going to get his head chopped off." I mumbled under my breath.

"Either way, you said you needed to talk to Ethan? He's free now."

I turned to my friends and smiled at them, warmly. "Gotta go; I'll text you when I need bail posted." They both laughed gently and nodded, turning to take their leave. I waited for the door to close before hurrying to catch up to Byrne, slapping the back of his head as hard as I could with the envelope. "Try that again and that won't be paper," I threatened. He nodded his understanding and I hurried into the room where Ethan was talking to his Field Investigators. He turned to me and arched his brows, waiting for me to continue.

"I figured out why we're not getting any leads," I pointed out, holding up the letter I had had earlier. "You're all focused on men—these letters are from a _woman_."

"You're sure?"

"Most likely from the Desert."

"Positive?"

"Would I be telling you if I wasn't?"

* * *

I walked into the dorm to the sound of Link's light snoring from the couch and walked over, leaning over it to see him lying there, eyes shut with soft eyelashes curled onto his cheeks. I couldn't help the small smile that touched my face as I reached over and put the thin blanket over his shoulder, resting my arms on the back of the couch, watching the blissful look that crossed his face as his chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

Oscar Wilde once said "A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world." And I found it true the moment that he snuggled into the warmth and opened his eyes, looking up at me with sleep-fogged blue orbs that portrayed every bit of innocence I had always seen in him. "Mmmhm, Dark?" He asked, half-uncertain. I smiled at him, feeling my heartbeat slow.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty. Now, what do you think the possibility of me flipping a heads on that coin is?"

He laughed gently and reached up, rubbing his eyes for a minute before yawning and looking me in the eye, "Well, I hope it's one-hundred or else my professor is going to kill me."

I reached down, brushing his long hair off his forehead and resting my hand there. He smiled, leaning his forehead against my pale skin, closing his eyes instinctively. That was probably going to be the only time that I ever saw him do that, and it hurt my heart to realize it. I quickly took it off his head and finished, "Get some rest, bags are starting to form under your eyes," I remarked and smiled at him, forcing it a bit before walking into my part of the room.

I sat down on my bed and reached into my back pocket, pulling out the envelope and unfolding it, opening it to reveal the tests I had asked for all but two weeks ago (even though he admitted that it had been ready the day after). It opened easily and I looked to the farthest-left column, noticing that it came up with two results.

The first had the small hand-scrawl of "stain" over it, while the box said:

_Blood Type: AB Neg._

_Male_

_Donor: Dark Link_

I stopped reading there (and not because I don't want anyone to know my last name or anything….) and stared a little shocked. Wait, it was _my _razor from all those years ago? I let out the breath I'd been holding in and laid back, ready to fall asleep when I stopped, my eyes opening in a flash.

Two.

Who was the second (and do I want to know)?

I bit my lip, indecisively.

_Blood Type: O Pos._

_Male_

_Donor: Link Kesshi_

Damnit! I balled the paper up and chucked it into the trash can, grunting as I lay down and rested my hands on my forehead, shutting my eyes.

_Wait Dark, calm down, that doesn't mean he's cutting! It's a razor, he could have easily just nicked himself on it; Goddess knows how many times you've done it yourself!_

Yeah, I didn't believe myself, either.


	9. In which I am called a Satanist

~***D-L***~

I slept restlessly that night, only to wake from Link's voice in the doorway with a jolt. I sat up and let out a breath, rubbing my eyes slightly as I looked up to see Link standing there, a smirk on his face as he leaned against the doorway. He nodded once, solemnly, and turned around, leaving. I blinked a few times and turned to look over my shoulder, my eyebrows arching way too high when I saw that I had woken up half an hour late.

Yep, not going to be a good week.

First, it was the waking up late, then my seminar was kicked to noon on Tuesday, Wednesday we had to pay rent (that's never a good day, even when you're having a good week), on Thursday Link told me he had a date on Saturday, and on Friday, well… Friday was different. Very different.

I was walking around the city, knowing full well that Link was spending time with Teion and his boyfriend (who _still _remains anonymous!) as I cooled down. I had given my shift to a woman majoring in medicine and desperately needed the money—I needed a break anyway.

I ended up near the park from years ago and stopped to look out over the pond, watching the ripples in the water as I bought a one-way ticket on the train of thought going to _Possible Candidates for Link's Boyfriends._

I got nowhere fast.

Finally, I checked my watch and sighed, turning to walk out of the park and down towards the college again—I needed to meet up with my study group so that we could, you know, study. But then some idiot walked in front of me, cutting me off. I glared daggers, "What do you want, Skull?"

"What? Two old friends can't stop and chat for a while on the street?"

"Sure they can," I shrugged, "Now where are they?"

"Oh, you hurt," He fawned, rolling his eyes. "I just wanted to ask you how Link was doing."

"Why do you care?" I snapped my eyes narrowing as I let every bit of the ice I felt into my voice.

"I can't check in on an old friend?"

"Old friend? Sorry if I can't wrap my head around it, but I don't exactly see that worked out. Now, how'd that work out?"

A smirk touched his face as he remarked "Why don't you tell me, D-L?"

"Why don't you go to hell?" I replied, just as "sweetly" as he had asked his question. It was true though: I wanted him to rot in hell for the rest of eternity. He didn't respond and I stepped around him, heading toward the college when I heard the most daring, most insanely stupid line he'd ever dared to say:

"Hey, while I'm there, I'll say hello to your lord, Satan, for you."

I spun around and slammed the side of my fist into his nose, watching as he stumbled back until the back of his heel caught on the inside of my foot, tripping him onto his back. "Fucking jackass, just try that one more time," I warned and turned around, determined on walking away from the entire thing, going to my study group and calming down.

He, of course, had other ideas.

I heard him stand up behind me and the rush of hurried rubber on sidewalk as he ran at me, but I just sidestepped and kept walking, not even so much as glancing at him as he stumbled and turned to me, punching wildly. I stood there, motionless as he repeatedly hit the air around me, punching in a wild fury.

"Is that supposed to impress me?" Of course, I _had_ to antagonize him.

He stopped and drew his fist back, launching it at my face when I caught him around the elbow and ducked under it, watching the pained look that crossed his face as I pushed the part of my hand between my first finger and thumb into his ribs, jabbing as hard as I could. He grunted and I replaced my elbow into the middle of his back, releasing his arm.

He fell forward and landed on his side. I stepped back and looked down at him, saying, sternly "Try it again and you'll get away with way more than one bruise and a bloody nose. You're lucky I held back because I don't tolerate being called a Satanist."

Skull tried to say something back, but I kept walking away.

Anyway, yeah, that was pretty much the bad thing that happened on Friday—or at least I thought that until I got back from my study group to see that Link was there, reading over a notebook. The moment the door closed he looked up and sent me a stern look. I arched my brow at him and pulled my jacket off, hanging it up on the hat tree that had been left there from the last tenant (I didn't even realize that you were allowed to do that until Link asked if I had been here before him, which I denied).

His stern look turned into a glare and he turned back to his notebook. I stood there, shell shocked at the sudden glare until I finally let out a breath and shook my head. I guess that's just one of those things that you have to ask about, huh. "What was that for?"

"What for?" He grunted, angrily.

"The glare." He looked up at me, still glaring until he stood up and walked into his bedroom. "The fuck?" I muttered to myself, cocking my head as I walked through the place searching for something mindlessly.

I only realized how deep I was in when I finally growled inwardly and thought _the hell did I put that razor?_

My eyes widened and I stood straight at a board, every one of my muscles rigid as I tried to process what it was that I had just thought.

* * *

I sat down the next morning, running my fingers through my black hair as I tried to force myself to think about nothing but breathing—last night, all my dreams had been filled with all the bad comings in my life (hurting Link when we first met, letting dad beat me up, joining a gang, not ratting on something and costing six people their lives—gang hit—not going to see why the house smelled worse than usual before my mother was found dead, not fighting back more as I was pulled into that adoption home, not helping that kid that was stuck in a tree because he was scared up it by Skull, not turning Skull in for being a rapist sooner) all the reasons I had to be self piteous, really. And it didn't help that slumping all those things together made me want to find that razor more.

_No! _I screamed inwardly._ No! You broke that once, you can keep off it! A blade isn't the way to handle a situation! You can last, Dark, just get your mind off yourself! Volunteer someplace or something! You _have _to keep off it! What would Annabelle think?_

I growled and stood up, shaking my head and rubbing my forehead as I walked into the bathroom to splash my face and sighed. _Damn it all, pull yourself together! What would Naa think?_

And that effectively scared me out of that train of thought as of now.

* * *

That night, I was trying to arrange my schedule at the Student Union around my study "dates" so that I could still make enough money to keep the dorm until the end of term. I also had to consider classes and social outings and such.

I yawned and Link's door opened. His eyes landed on me and they became daggers against my skin. I grimaced and looked up, asking "did I do something wrong?"

He turned his back to me and I growled inwardly, throwing my notebook and schedule off my legs, standing up and walking behind him. "Link," Nothing. For the last half hour, he'd ignored every attempt I made to talk to him, so it was my turn to draw the line. I'm not someone who gets pushed around—you push me, I push back.

I wrapped my arms around him and he jumped, glaring at me over his shoulder as he pulled into himself, somehow managing to make himself rigid at the same time. "What?" He snapped.

"You've been ignoring me for the last half hour, the least you could do is hum and tell me that you aren't deaf," I snapped in his ear.

"Well you have my attention now, what do you want?"

The icy tone to his voice almost made me shiver—almost—but I couldn't stop the ice cold knife that stabbed through my breast bone, effectively tearing a hole in my heart.

"What have I done wrong that has made you hate me so much?"

"Right now the only thing you're doing _wrong _is making me late for my date." He snapped and I released him instantly, rolling my eyes and turning the other way. "Link, listen to yourself. You're being crazy! If I've done something wrong, _tell me_!"

"Being crazy?" He snapped at me. "You left for three years and are calling _me _crazy, for being _myself_? What grounds do you have to call me that? You don't know me, Dark Link!** I** am a _normal person_! If you really don't know what you did wrong, then why should I bother telling you? You want to know what you did wrong? You left and didn't fight back!" The door was shut before I could muster anything up, and the first thing that came out of my lips was a

"Fuck you, Link."

The door opened shortly after that, as I was texting Naa so that she'd scare me out of my need. I looked up to find her face there, forcing a smile with eyes filled with worry and concern. She held up her credit card to tell me that was how she got in before shutting the door behind her, the auto-lock engaging as she walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me like a mother comforting a crying child. Right then I wished I was one instead of some dumbass young adult bent on keeping the tears off my cheeks.

I hugged back, holding her comforting presence there as long as I could before she finally muttered "I never thought I'd have to say this, but," she muttered in my ear quietly. "I agree with you. Link's a jackass now and I don't know why."

She lead me to the back of the couch, where she forced me down into a sitting position with the inhumanely strong grip of hers that not even Vaati can get through.

She pulled two pillows off the couch, taking one for herself and sitting on it before handing the other to me. I sighed and took it, doing the same only because she was one of the only people who actually succeeded in _scaring me shitless_.

"I don't know how it happened, but I do know when," she told me suddenly. "March 17th one year ago. He was home sick for a whole week before he returned and it looked like he was in a worse condition then than when he was actually sick. When I asked him what was wrong, he just shrugged it off and muttered that he had a lot on his mind. Since then he's been the biggest jack off I've ever met—and that includes Ganondorf."

I snorted slightly, disbelieving.

"The only reason I stayed with him was because I knew that if I stayed with him, I'd see you sooner than I would without him. I'm just glad that I can be with you and hate his guts at the same time now."

There was a pause and I leaned against her arm as a sort of thanks for cheering me up.

My IM went off.

"But that's not why you need me, is it?" She pointed out, realizing what the lean meant.

Again it rang.

"No, it's not. I have to ask you to do something I never wanted you to do in the first place."

"What?"

Another message rang.

"Slap me upside the head."

"Why?"

"Do it and then I'll answer."

Another message.

She slapped the back of my head. It didn't work, but it made me realize that there were two knots in the hardwood flooring under us. "Now will you tell me why?"

"Because I found a razor with both my and Link's blood on it and right now, it plus my wrist seems like a blissful combination." She slapped me twice as hard this time, but all it did was help me realize that the floor was made of oak.

Again the IM went off and she mumbled "Maybe you should check that."

"Can you shut the laptop? I'll check it later."

Looking back on it, I think I should have checked it right then and there.

When Link returned from his date some hours later, I was smiling sadly and chuckling to something that Naa had said as she laughed aloud. The door shut and she glared daggers at the man that had shut it, but I only closed my eyes and laughed a little more, ignoring him. His room door shut and she wrapped her arm around me.

Really, I could care less about that now, I just wish I remembered why on earth I'd been so dumb as to forget about the IM. It nearly caused me a heartattack!


	10. Chapter 10

Hi guys! As most of you are aware, is closing shop.

This is just a courtesy note that my stories are also available at AO3 and on Tumblr, both of which have the same name to them.

Both of my files are new on each of these platforms, so I haven't gotten around to uploading what I have on this website yet, but I also have homestuck stories on the both of them. I would really appreciate it if you look them up! If you have any questions, feel free to message me on Tumblr or AO3 (if that's possible; I haven't figured it out yet).

jiraiyawhitneyFANFICTIONISAD OUCHEANDWONTALLOWDOTStumblrD OTcom

archiveofourownDOTorg /users /JiraiyaWhitney


End file.
